A Place After Our Hearts: DOSA SF. South Indian Food We’ll Forever Be Craving

But there’s one thing I know to be true at DOSA… it’s super EXCITING and impressive as hell.

Yes… it’s exciting… exotic, and interactive. Partly because you never know what flavors to expect. One dish could be super spicy and another could LOOK spicy, but its really sweet instead.

Like when this came to the table…

Uhmmmm. What in the world?!?

We were all looking at each other like “ARE YOU SEEING THIS?” Meanwhile I’m thinking… How do I take a picture of this? (hah)

So let me introduce to you… a DOSA. This is a crispy, thin variation that’s actually rolled up. (Yes, this thing expands!). It’s served with spicy masala potatoes, tomato and coconut chutney, and sambar- which is a flavorful lentil dipping soup. YUM!

How do you eat it? With your fingers. You break off a piece and eat it (or dip it) with the sides. Pretty cool, right?

If you follow my Snapchat, shameless plug: @CynEats (lol), then you’d know that I’m OBSESSED with the place. The food is unique and photogenic as hell! See….

During the day, it’s filled with gorgeous, natural light. At night, it’s dimly lit and more sultry. Interior wise, DOSA is the kind of place that is fancy enough to feel swanky, but laid-back enough to feel like you can still relax. It’s sincerely the best of both worlds. Dress up- you feel like you belong. Dress down- you still feel like you belong. <—- I’ve always loved that kind of vibe… takes the guess work out of “what to wear?!” (Ya feel me?! 😛 ) It’s a perfect date spot, place to celebrate, for business meetings, or simply just to enjoy one heck of a delicious meal with the homies.

Something to be noted: DOSA has the friendliest wait staff. Seriously, the people who work here are really enthusiastic about the food. Katey and I asked them bugged them with a MILLION questions.

But don’t worry- I won’t bore you with all the details in every dish. Here’s the short recap on what to order during lunch, and I’ve also included their notes below (optional to read unless you are REALLY interested):

Idli fries. So freaking bomb and perfectly crisped. All you need to know is that these make the perfect appetizer to start. GET THEM!

From DOSA: “Idlis are steamed rice patties. It’s a traditional breakfast in South Indian households. Idli is a savory cake that is popular throughout India. Our idli fry recipe is very traditional and you can eat the same dish in the South Indian restaurants in Mumbai. These are cut into finger chips and then wok tossed.”

Sprouted Mung & Paneer Salad. If you’re looking for something fresh and healthy to start instead of the fries, this salad is one of the most popular dishes at DOSA. It’s incredibly tasty, healthy and filling.

“Although we change the recipe seasonally the centerpiece of the dish stays the same. We house-sprout mung beans. It’s a 48 hour process and we always make sure that each lentil is well sprouted. In the summer months we serve this dish with watermelon and paneer, in fall we use the freshest fruit such a persimmon to add seasonal sensuality to the dish, and we follow with tangy tangerines in the winter. Currently we top the salad with freshly shaved paneer cheese and shredded coconut. The mung beans are sitting on the bed of fresh young kale leaves.”

Dahi Vada. Uhmmm how pretty is this?? It’s made with Straus organic yogurt over lentil fritters (vedas), piped with tamarind & mint. This is one of those dishes where you just don’t know what to expect! It has sort of a mild spice to each bite, but also kinda tastes like dessert!? Yah… weird, yet delicious and exciting 🙂

Pani Puri. Now this is an interactive dish. Those things on the left are hollow crispy shells, where you break the top with a spoon. Then you fill it with the sides on the plate: chickpeas, mung sprouts, potatoes.

“It’s one of the popular street foods of India, particularly Bombay/Mumbai. Pani puri is definitely among the favorites chaat dishes at DOSA and are super popular for Brunch.”

Sunny Uttapam — This was probably the most basic thing on the menu… but not basic at all. It’s a traditional tomato-onion-chile uttapam (aka crepe-like thing) topped with sunny side up or over easy eggs.

It comes wrapped in a roti with a spicy sauce, marinated onions, cucumbers & cilantro chutney.

Egg Curry & Kerala Paratha. This is my FAVORITE thing on the menu. It’s spicy AND super flavorful! It’s basically a must-get if you love curry.

So pretty much, these dishes taste as beautiful as they look and if you’ve been hearing the buzz around town about DOSA, know that it’s for a reason. This place comforts, delights, entertains, educates, and satisfies! I can’t WAIT to go back for dinner. And P.S… their drinks are insane. You will want many- just a heads up!

I’ve recommended it to all my friends in the city. “No… you HAVE to go here!” kind of thing. DOSA has something for everyone.